Having escaped the Monitor Tower would only be the first challenge of getting to the base. The journey will be dangerous, but they must reach the base before dark. However, the first half hour or so was quiet.

While Danielle was doing her best to keep up with Canard, he had to slow down once in a while for her. As a soldier you need to go through rigorous exercises, hundred mile laps, to stay on top of your game. The female didn't have nearly as much training as her new companion, but she didn't say anything to him about it, afraid of being talked down to, or patronized.

"I'd go slower if you asked."

Danielle looked up at Canard. She was anxious, was he annoyed with her? Oh, she didn't need to hear it.

"Uh, n-no...no thanks…"

Canard was a little confused. Why didn't she want him to slow down? Maybe she just didn't want to be out here. "I can't blame her." He thought. They came to retaining wall, luckily it wasn't too big.

The tan Drake crouched down and leaped off the wall, landing on his feet. Danielle sat down and scooted to the edge. "Careful." Canard brought his hands Danielle's waist, gently lifting her down. "Oh! U-uh...t-thank you."

"We're not out of danger yet."

They look ahead and see a clearing. "Stay close." Keeping a sharp lookout, Canard cautiously stepped out into the clearing. No sign of any danger, thus far. Danielle too looked around, but didn't see anything. Inside her beak, her teeth were chattering like crazy with fright. As the female duck walked up to her companion, the latter held his hand up, in a "wait" gesture.

There was danger nearby.

Canard turned around, and his eyes widened in fear. In the shadows of a building was a little red light. But not just any red light, it was a hunter drone about to fire! With only seconds to react, Canard tackled Danielle to the ground, just as the huge laser beam blasted right where they were standing! Danielle let out a scream in shock.

"HALT!" the robot said is it stepped out, with two more Hunter Drones behind it. "You are under arrest and will be sentenced to Work Camp 3."

Danielle gasped. She didn't want to be a slave!

"Over my dead dody!" Canard growled as he stood up. He pulled Danielle to feet. "Get somewhere safe!"

She did as she was told. "HALT!" In the hunter drones head got blown in by Canard's Puck Blaster. The robot Short-circuited and fell. The other two Hunter drones closed in for the kill. Despite having plenty of ammunition, Canard wanted to use it sparingly. One robot lashed out its claws, and then…

SLASH

"Agh!" Canard jumped back, holding his right arm. Hearing him shout in agony, Danielle looked up sharply.

"Canard!" She cried out.

The male duck didn't care if he was injured, No Hunter Drone was going to get the better of him! The Hunter Drone closed in again but this time, he punched the robot, then kicked it back, The machine fell into the other one. Quickly Canard set off an electric puck, shoving it between the two robots. Then he bolted away just before the shock went off.

BZZZZZTT

All three robots were down for the count.

"Danielle?" He called out. He thought he saw her run down a small alleyway on the other side of the clearing, before he fought the Hunter Drones. Canard went to the other side of the clearing to the alleyway, he didn't see her. "Danielle?" Then the female poked her head out from behind a stack of crates. "There you are." He breathed out.

Danielle looked over Canard. Then, she saw the gashes in his arm from the Robot's claws. "You're hurt!" She gasped.

Canard looked at his arm. The gashes were thick and bleeding, but Canard shrugged and said, "It's nothing."

"I-I can mend it for you. Do you have a First Aid kit?" The drake decided just to answer her question, if it will put her at ease.

"Look in the bag, but I'm telling you, I'm-"

He was cut off when Danielle pulled out the First Aid Kit and took hold of his arm. She took him to the crates she was hiding behind, set the Kit down on one of them, and got to work. Her hands were trembling, but she kept her focus.

Canard watched her in silence. Danielle was really keeping her eyes on her work, despite her shaky hands. "She's very focused.,' he thought. 'She is surprisingly good at this." As Danielle gently cleaned the cuts, the clouds parted to reveal the setting Sun. It's rays landed on Danielle's hair illuminating her orange strands in a warm, cozy glow. Canard gazed at her, and just couldn't stop. "Wow…"

The male duck stopped thinking about everything else, all that was on his mind was the female before him. Her pale yellow feathers, looked as soft as fluff on a newborn duckling. Her cute beak, he could just nuzzle her. And her eyes, they were shining, aqua blue. "So beautiful..." Canard could just imagine her looking into his eyes and smiling at him. The very thought made him smile.

Having finished applying the tape, Danielle put away the tools, satisfied with her work."Not a professional's work but it'll do." Then she noticed Canard staring at her, with rather an odd look on his face.

"Eh…"

"Huh?"

They both looked away sharply, embarrassed."Why was he looking at me like that?" Danielle wondered. Her cheeks turned dark pink .

"What am I doing? I shouldn't have lost myself so easily." Canard thought, as his cheeks turned bright red. "Uh... *ahem!* sorry…"

"It. It's all right." Danielle said softly.

"So,' Canard said after a moment. 'We should um... get going."

"Uh...r-right."

And the two of them went on their way.